In August, US Youth Soccer announced a landmark format change to its National Championships aimed at creating the best youth sport experience in America. Beginning Fall 2025, State Cup champions from all 54 USYS State Associations will advance directly to the National Championships, eliminating the traditional Regional Championship round.
This exciting evolution of the “crown jewel” of USYS competition is designed to:
- Enhance the value and visibility of State Cups as the core qualifying events.
- Streamline the championship pathway to reduce travel demands and ease the overall burden on families.
- Celebrate tradition while embracing progress, to deliver a more focused, player-centered experience at the national level.
Why This Matters:
- Direct Advancement: Each State Cup champion along with group winners from The National League Winter Events earns a place at Nationals, ensuring representation and increased relevance for all 54 member associations.
- Reduced Barriers: Families and clubs benefit from less travel and time commitment with the elimination of the regional competition layer.
- Elevated Experience: The National Championships will become a true festival of champions, celebrating the top team from every state on one stage.
There are two ways Illinois Youth Soccer member teams can advance to the reimagined National Championships: 1.) by winning the Illinois State Cup or 2.) by earning their place thru the US Youth Soccer National League.
Congratulations to the following teams that have secured their place into the 2026 US Youth Soccer National Championships
| AGE GROUP | CLUB | COMPETITION SPOT SECURED VIA |
| 15U Girls | Chicago Rush Select | Illinois State Cup |
| 16U Girls | Ajax FC | Illinois State Cup & National League |
| 16U Girls | Tinley Park Bobcats | Illinois State Cup |
| 16U Boys | Evo Ponys FC | US Youth Soccer National League |
| 17U Girls | FC United | Illinois State Cup |
| 19U Girls | Evolution JaHbat FC | Illinois State Cup |
Significantly more Illinois teams will move on to compete for the National title in July. In addition to all the Spring State Cup winners in the 13U-19U Boys and 13U-14U Girls advancing, 19 Illinois teams are still set to compete in the January National League events as well.
US Youth Soccer CEO Tom Condone stated, “This bold new format reimagines the National Championships, uniting champions from every state and setting a new standard for youth soccer experiences across the country.” Director of Events and Operations Jason Elliott added, “This new format for our National Championships is a milestone moment for US Youth Soccer. The structure expands opportunities for players nationwide while strengthening the state-level competitions that lead into Nationals. By elevating every step of the pathway, we’re ensuring more meaningful experiences for players and families, and creating a stage where the best in youth soccer can shine.”
This format change was made following extensive feedback from member associations, clubs, coaches, and families, and reflects USYS’ strategic vision to enhance its competition structure while providing the most meaningful and memorable national stage for young athletes. More details about the updated National Championships including qualification timelines, hosting information, and event enhancements, will be released in the coming weeks.
The National Championships will be held July 13-23 in separate locations for the Boys (Salt Lake City) and Girls (Murfreesboro, TN). Illinois teams will compete in the Super Group, the highest tier of the National Championships.
To accompany the new format, a visionary new brand identity was developed to represent the competition. The three vertical elements are not only meant to evoke the shape of a trophy, acknowledging the US Youth Soccer National Championships as the premier event in youth sport, but also symbolize the coming together of every State Association, along with The National League, to one point of action — the ball. Utilizing the same design as the ball in the USYS logo, only part of it is visible as it is in motion — approaching the plane of the goal. It is not yet fully across the line, signifying the potential to score or be defended…a dramatic representation of the tension foundational to our love of soccer. The entire logo is unbounded by a containing shape like a shield or crest, highlighting that the event is bigger than something that can be contained by traditional borders and structures. The reimagined US Youth Soccer National Championships are a bold new vision of how our entire soccer landscape can come together, and this rebranding of our Championship logo communicates the passion, youthful energy, and forward-thinking of USYS and our State Associations.
In 2025 Illinois teams brought home two US Youth Soccer National Championships: Raiders FC (16U Boys) and JaHbat FC (19U Boys). A complete list of all the US Youth Soccer National Champions from Illinois can be found here.